On this day in 1937 was born Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova, Soviet cosmonaut and first woman in space. During her single three-day flight in June 1963 she orbited the earth 48 times and logged more hours in space than all American astronauts at the time combined.

After the flight of Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space, the Soviet space program decided to send women into space, and Tereshkova was selected along with four other applicants to train for the possibility of going into orbit. Tereshkova was not a scientist or pilot but an amateur skydiver, and her experience parachuting led to her selection for the space program. After several months of training in various disciplines, Tereshkova and three of her fellow trainees were commissioned as Junior Lieutenants in the Soviet Air Force, and Tereshkova was eventually chosen to participate in the Vostok 6 space flight.